Eight people, including four jawans of the Naga battalion, were killed on the spot when a truck in which they were travelling hit a landmine laid by Naxalites near Darbaguda on the Jagdalpur-Hyderabad road in the tribal Bastar region of Chhattisgarh.

Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) R K Vij told UNI that four constables of the Naga Battalion, accompanied by two special police officers were returning after patrolling duty. They boarded a truck which was on way to Darbaguda.

At about 0830 hours, the truck hit a landmine and all of them were killed on the spot. The driver and cleaner of the truck were among the dead.

Vij said security forces have been despatched to the spot to carry out combing operations in the nearby forests.